General counsel | Pexip Holding ASA
Beate Nygardshaug
General counsel | Pexip Holding ASA
What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?
In addition to corporate legal work, I have led contract negotiations and legal initiatives to support Pexip’s strategy of enabling secure and interoperable video meetings that meet the highest standards of security, privacy, and flexibility. My goal is to drive growth while managing legal and reputational risk across a rapidly evolving landscape.
Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?
I have had the opportunity to work in fast-paced and change-driven environments, where the ability to swiftly manage complex issues while safeguarding integrity has been crucial. My experiences navigating these evolving contexts have been particularly interesting. Notably, I was involved in the complete downscale of the aviation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, managed financial challenges during the global financial crisis, and supported fast growth and consolidation in the tech sector.
What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?
Strong cross-functional collaboration and commercial pragmatism, along with the ability to manage complex issues with sound judgement, are essential. Today’s in-house counsel must combine legal precision and integrity with strategic thinking, while remaining focused on solutions.
What do you think sets you apart from other in-house counsel?
It is difficult to say, but I would say that my broad experience across a wide range of areas stands out, as well as my focus on safeguarding integrity while ensuring growth and sustainable solutions.
What strategies do you employ to ensure the successful digital transformation of a legal department while maintaining compliance with your country’s data protection laws?
I evaluate tools that boost efficiency and transparency, ensuring that compliance is integrated into digital initiatives through close collaboration with privacy teams. Working in a tech company provides me with access to top-tier expertise and knowledge.
How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation?
The key points would be: integrate ESG and compliance into company values, culture and strategy, making them integral to our operations rather than standalone policies.
Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?
The rapid growth of AI is changing how we communicate, store and understand data. For example, AI tools in video meetings can generate transcripts, summaries and behavioural insights, but they can also produce fake content. While AI offers significant benefits, it also presents important legal, ethical and security challenges. We need to ensure our organisations use this technology responsibly, focusing on ethical practices, protecting data, and building long-term trust.